High Court dismisses Kochhar's plea against termination

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by Chanda Kochhar against her termination as managing director and CEO of the ICICI Bank, noting the dispute arises from a contract of personal service.

A division bench of Justices N M Jamdar and M S Karnik accepted the bank's contention that Kochhar's petition was not maintainable as the dispute was contractual and concerns a private body.

"The termination of the petitioner is in the realm of contractual relationship," the court said in its order. Courts cannot exercise their writ jurisdiction when employment in a private entity is regulated by contracts, it further said. "Contractual duties are enforceable as matters of private law by ordinary contractual remedies such as damages, injunction, specific performance and declaration," the high court said.